In the ensuing years, the group collected additional right-of-centre members, and on 17 July 1979[3] it changed its name to the "European Democratic Group".[2][6]

In March 2009 it was reported that the European Conservatives could be re-created as a group in the European Parliament, led by the British Conservative Party if they withdraw from the EPP-ED group and succeed in meeting the minimum requirements for a political group in the Parliament.[7][8]